Changing Levels (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)
by ilna
Summary: Steve and Cody find they can still reach new levels in their relationship.


**Notes:** Mari and Sammy – Thank you for your fantastic feedback as always, and to SuperSammy for her help with the title.

Readers and REAL McRollers – Thank you for your amazing support during Angie's birthday marathon and with every REAL World story! It's been a while since I wrote a Steve/Cody story and I was itching to do one.

Hope you enjoy!

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 _Changing Levels (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)_

Steve was already outside when Cody pulled up in the Allens' red Impala. He parked the car beside the Silverado and the Highlander and got out.

"Hey, right on time," Steve said, giving Cody a welcoming smile.

"Hey," Cody said in greeting. He opened the trunk and pulled out a filter box and large five quart bottle of automobile oil.

"First oil change on the car," Steve said, hands on his hips. "You ready to do this?"

"Yeah. I got Mobil 1, like you said. 5W-30. And the new filter."

"Good." He nodded at the SUV. "Highlander's due, so I figured we'd knock that one out, too."

"Okay."

Steve grinned. "It's been a while, you remember how?"

"Yeah," Cody said with an answering smile.

"All right, let's get started."

After donning mechanics gloves, they jacked up the car, then Steve indicated Cody should go beneath the undercarriage.

"You see the drain plug?" Steve asked, squatting down.

"Yeah, I got it."

Steve handed him a socket wrench and Cody tried to loosen the plug.

"Man, it's on there tight."

Steve chuckled. "Good."

With a grunt, Cody finally worked it loose and set the wrench aside. Steve pushed the drain pan toward him and Cody lined it up where he thought the oil would drain. Once he had it in place, he loosed the plug the rest of the way and removed it. The old oil immediately began to drain into the pan.

Steve handed him a rag and Cody wiped off the plug.

"How's it look?" Steve asked.

"Good, I think."

He passed it to Steve who nodded after a quick inspection. "Yeah, gasket's still in good shape."

Cody slid out from beneath the car while the oil drained. "And I didn't drop it in the pan this time."

Steve laughed. "That's true."

Cody nodded over to where he'd set out the various tools and supplies they were using. "I'm going to measure out the oil while we're waiting for that to drain."

"Good idea," Steve said with an approving nod.

Cody stood and went to measure four and half quarts from the five quart bottle he'd bought using an old container Steve had for just that purpose. While he did, Steve peered under the car to check on the progress.

"Almost there," he said, noting that the steady flow had become more of a stream. "I'm gonna go grab a few more rags."

"Okay."

After Steve disappeared into the garage, Cody heard the front door of the house open and close and looked to see Catherine and Angie approaching.

"Co ee!" Angie said, already holding out a hand to him.

"She saw you from the window and had to come out," Catherine said.

Cody grinned at the toddler. "Hi, Angie."

"Co ee!" Angie repeated, reaching for him.

"Sorry, Angie, I'm a little dirty today," Cody said, indicating the dirt and oil splatter on his gloves and his old t-shirt and jeans.

Catherine nodded to the Highlander. "Heard you guys are doing mine, too," she said.

Cody nodded. "Yeah."

"Thanks," she said and winked. "Saves me the job."

He grinned. "Anytime."

Steve emerged from the garage and Angie beamed.

"Dada!"

"Hi, baby girl," he said, smiling his "Angie" smile. "You come out to help us?"

"Ah bah!"

"Maybe we'll wait till your second birthday to do an oil change," Catherine said. She bounced Angie in her arms, causing her to giggle. "Okay, we just wanted to say hi really quick. Let's go back and check on dinner, honey." She looked at Cody. "You're staying, right?"

He smiled. "Sure. Thanks."

"Least I can do since you're changing my oil." She smiled at them. "See you in a bit." She looked at Angie. "Say bye-bye to Daddy and Cody."

"Bah ee!" Angie said, holding out a hand to them.

"Can you wave?"

Angie grinned, flapping her hand in their direction.

"You're gettin' good at that," Cody said, smiling.

"Of course she is," Steve said proudly.

Catherine noticed a bag near their supplies. "Is that her old clothes?" she asked Steve.

"Yeah, I changed 'em out."

"Okay, I'll take 'em." She held out a hand and he gave her the bag. "Let's go, Angie." She headed back toward the house, talking to Angie about dinner as the toddler looked over her shoulder at Cody and Steve, giving them another wave.

"Should be drained by now," Steve said.

"Yeah," Cody agreed. He moved back under the car. "It is."

"Here you go," Steve said, passing him the plug. "Remember not to overtighten it."

"Right." Cody put the plug back in place and moved the drain pan over beneath the filter.

"Gonna be easier getting to the filter from up here," Steve said.

"Okay." Cody slid back out and stood up. As he worked on unscrewing the old oil filter, he asked, "Why'd you have some of Angie's old clothes out here?"

Steve squatted by the car, looking underneath to make sure the oil was draining into the pan as Cody removed the old filter. "They were the ones from the go bags in the truck and the SUV. Nine month stuff. She's outgrown them so I replaced them with twelve months."

Cody paused for a beat. "You've got stuff for Angie in your go bags?"

"Of course," Steve said simply.

Cody blinked, then nodded. He wrapped the old filter in a rag and put it on an empty tray to dispose of later. "Right, yeah. Of course."

Steve stood and looked at him steadily. "I mean, I hope we never need them, but … given everything I've seen … and done … we've gotta be prepared."

"Of course," Cody repeated. He sighed. "Sorry, it just threw me for a minute. Thinking about Angie needing a go bag."

Steve nodded. "I know what you mean. And I don't really ever think we'll need to use them, but … I'm still going to keep them up to date. Just in case."

"Yeah."

Steve reached over for another rag and tossed it to him. "Here, clean around that filter housing before you put the new one on."

As he wiped off the housing, Cody said. "Do you remember the first time we worked on a car together?"

"Yeah, of course." Steve opened the box and handed Cody the new oil filter. "Run a little of the old oil on the seal to lubricate it."

Cody knelt to dip a gloved finger in the oil pan and then ran his finger around the filter's seal. He stood and started to fit it into place. "That day," he said, "you asked me to call you 'Steve' instead of 'Commander.' That was … a big deal for me. It was like … with the driving lessons and changing the tire … even though you were teaching me things, you didn't talk to me like I was a kid, you know? You never have." Having tightened the new filter, he straightened and looked at Steve. "You've never treated me like a kid. You've told me things about your life. Serious stuff. I … I appreciated that. That you trusted me. That you still do."

Steve held his gaze and nodded. "I do."

"I mean, I know in the beginning you were probably doing it so that I would feel more comfortable talking to you, and it worked, but … it also kind of seemed like it was more than that."

"It was," Steve said seriously. "You're right about that."

" 'Cause I know you don't talk about that stuff with a lot of people."

Steve gave him a small smile. "You're one of the few."

"So, yeah," Cody said, looking down for a moment, then back up at him. "Thanks. Working on cars with you always reminds me of that."

Steve nodded, his smile soft. "You calling me 'Steve' for the first time? That was a big deal for me, too."

Cody smiled and Steve nodded at the car.

"Let's finish this off, huh?"

"Yeah."

They pulled the drain pan out and set it aside. Cody took the filler cap off and used a funnel to add the oil he'd measured out. He checked the level on the dip stick three times, wiping it off carefully between each check.

"Perfect," Steve said, after the last check.

Cody smiled, satisfied at a job well done.

While they warmed up the Highlander, they put the old oil from the Impala in a container for proper disposal. Highlander now warm, they got the vehicle jacked up and had started to drain the oil when Steve's phone buzzed.

He stood and pulled it out of his pocket, answering the call. "McGarrett." After listening for a minute, he gave a little nod and said, "Okay, I'll be there in fifteen." Ending the call, he looked apologetically at Cody who had also stood. "I'm sorry, Cody."

"It's okay, I understand," Cody said sincerely.

Steve looked at him for a second and smiled. "Listen, speaking of not treating you like a kid, you think you can you finish this up for me?"

Cody's eyebrows shot up. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, seriously."

"Are you sure?" Cody looked at the SUV. "I haven't changed the oil on the Highlander before."

"It's not that much different from the Impala. We're already a third of the way done and I measured out the oil before you got here."

Cody looked between the vehicles then back at Steve. Seeing nothing but confidence in the older man's face, he nodded. "Okay, yeah." He smiled, more confident himself. "Yeah, I can finish it."

Steve smiled. "Thanks." He nodded toward the house. "Okay, I'm gonna go change real quick. I'll be right back."

While Steve was inside, Cody studied the new filter for the Highlander and judged it similar enough to what he'd used on the Impala and when helping Steve with other past oil changes on the Silverado and the Marquis.

Steve returned a few minutes later having cleaned up and put on a fresh set of clothes along with his badge and service weapon.

"You good?" he asked, nodding to the filter in Cody's hand.

"Yeah, I'm good."

"Okay, Catherine's inside if you run into any problems, but I don't think you will." He clapped a hand on Cody's shoulder, his expression conveying his trust and confidence. "Thanks again, Cody. I really appreciate this."

Cody exhaled, smiling. "This might sound strange to say but … not as much I do."

Steve nodded his understanding. Even after more than four years, their relationship still had new levels.

That was something he hoped would never change.

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 **Hope you enjoyed!**

 **Note:** For the first Steve/Cody car story, see _Changing Gears_.

 _Find all our stories (in chronological order!) on our website: marirealmcroll dot wixsite dot com backslash real-mcroll_

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 _You can still join our mailing list by emailing us realmcroll at yahoo dot com with Add me, please! in the subject line._

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